Arenal Hanging Bridges Tour Costa Rica: 14 Rainforest Bridges

You walk across hanging bridges strung between rainforest canopy, not below it.

Arenal Hanging Bridges is a guided hiking tour through Mistico Park near Volcano Arenal in Costa Rica, where you cross 14 bridges—6 of them hanging—over 3.1 kilometers of private reserve trails. The tour runs about 2.5 hours with a bilingual guide who points out native and migratory birds and explains the rainforest ecosystem; hotel pickup, snacks and bottled water are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hiking tour in Mistico Park

• Depart from meeting place
• Hike 2.5 hours in private reserve

The Experience

The tour starts with hotel pickup and a drive to Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park, a private nature reserve built around the volcano's slopes. Once on the trails, you walk through rainforest thick with native and migratory birds, crossing 14 bridges as the path winds through the canopy—6 of those bridges are hanging structures that let you move through the treetops instead of around them. The whole hike covers 3.1 kilometers and takes about 2.5 hours, so the pace stays steady without becoming strenuous.

Your bilingual guide (Spanish and English) walks with the group and stops to identify animals and explain what you're seeing in the ecosystem around you. The reserve shelters a variety of flora and fauna that shifts with the seasons, so what appears depends on the time of year and the hour—early mornings tend to be quieter for spotting. Snacks and bottled water come with the tour, so you don't need to carry supplies or plan a separate meal stop.

The tour ends back at your hotel, with all transport, taxes and guide fees already included in the price. If you're traveling with children, infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller on the trails, and kids under a certain age qualify for a reduced rate when traveling with two paying adults. The operator notes that moderate physical fitness helps—the bridges and terrain are manageable for most hikers, but not flat or entirely easy.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• bilingual professional guide in Spanish and English.
• snacks and bottled water.
• transport by air-conditioned minivan.
• all taxes, fees and handling charges.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by SEVEN TOURS COSTA RICA

Is this one for you?You get the canopy view without arranging transport or a guide separately—the minivan picks you up at your hotel, and the bilingual guide handles the whole hike, so you walk the bridges without building the day around logistics.

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Top questions

What animals might I see on the Arenal Hanging Bridges hike?

The reserve shelters native and migratory birds and a variety of rainforest fauna. Your guide will point out animals along the trails and explain their environment, though what you encounter depends on the season and time of day—early mornings often offer better wildlife viewing.

How long does the Arenal Hanging Bridges tour take?

The hike runs about 2.5 hours on 3.1 kilometers of trails, including time spent crossing the 14 bridges and stops for the guide to explain the ecosystem.

Is the Arenal Hanging Bridges tour suitable for children?

Yes; infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller on the trails. Children qualify for a reduced rate when traveling with two paying adults, and the operator notes that moderate physical fitness is helpful for the terrain and bridge crossings.

What's included in the Arenal Hanging Bridges tour price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, bilingual guide (Spanish and English), snacks, bottled water, transport by air-conditioned minivan, and all taxes and fees are included. Gratuities for the driver and guide are optional.

Are the hanging bridges safe?

Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park is a built nature preserve with 14 bridges engineered into the trails—6 of them hanging structures that let you move through the canopy. The park is wheelchair accessible and designed for visitors of varying abilities, though the operator recommends at least moderate physical fitness for the hike.